Can Leqvio be taken without a statin?
Leqvio may be used alone or with other medications, such as statins, to treat high cholesterol, in addition to a heart-healthy diet. It is usually prescribed for adults with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic condition that causes high levels of LDL cholesterol) when maximally tolerated doses of statin fail to lower LDL levels enough. But it can be prescribed without a statin if statins are not tolerated or contraindicated.
References
- Leqvio FDA Approval History. Updated Dec 27, 2021. https://www.drugclasses.com/history/leqvio.html
- Lamb Y. N. (2021). Inclisiran: First Approval. Drugs, 81(3), 389–395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40265-021-01473-6
Read next
What is the difference between Leqvio and Repatha?
Leqvio and Repatha are both injectable medicines that are used for the treatment of high cholesterol, by specifically lowering low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Although they both inhibit PCSK9 they work by different mechanisms. Repatha is a monoclonal antibody that binds directly to PCSK9 in the liver preventing it from binding to LDL receptors. Leqvio blocks the PCSK9 protein by interfering with the translation of PCSK9 messenger RNA. Both have the same result – and that is freeing up LDL receptors on the surface of liver cells which allows LDL cholesterol to be removed from the blood. Continue reading
What are PCSK9 Inhibitors and how do they work?
The PCSK9 inhibitors are used for the treatment of high-risk patients with elevated cholesterol, especially when statins aren't adequate. They work by blocking PCSK9, leaving more receptors available to capture your "bad" cholesterol (LDL) for break down and removal from the blood. Continue reading
Does Leqvio cause weight gain?
Weight gain is not reported as a side effect of Leqvio in the product information and neither does it seem to be a topic of discussion on blog sites. Weight gain has also not been reported with other PCSK9 inhibitors, such as Repatha. Continue reading
Related medical questions
- How is Leqvio injection administered?
- What is the mechanism of action for Leqvio (inclisiran)?
- Is Leqvio FDA approved as a high cholesterol treatment?
- Who is the actor in the Leqvio commercial?
- Where can I find the Leqvio FDA package insert?
- How does Leqvio work in treating high cholesterol?
Drug information
Related support groups
- Leqvio (11 questions, 10 members)
- Inclisiran (9 questions, 5 members)